Former Bishop of Durham gives backing to clergy civil partnership
Date: Dec 9
By Alex Delmar-Morgan

ON THE first day homosexual couples will be able to ‘marry’ legally, the former Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev David Jenkins, will publicly support a blessing given to a priest entering into a civil partnership. Speaking at a celebratory church service on December 21 he will ‘praise up’ the couple whom he has known for many years. Bishop Jenkins’s decision to formally support a blessing of a gay civil partnership is out of kilter with the instruction made by the House of Bishops that civil contracts should not be confused with a religious ceremony. Bishops have also ruled that gay couples cannot have their civil union blessed in church. Although Bishop Jenkins is only backing the blessing in his church sermon, many will still see this as crossing the boundaries of what is acceptable in the eyes of bishops. He did express his desire to give a full blessing when the right opportunity arose. While whipping up fresh debate over civil partnerships, the move is likely to enrage traditionalists.

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